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Timeline (Revolution)
This is a timeline of events chronicling the events of Homefront: The Revolution. 1950 *The Korean War begins as the Soviet-backed North Korea invades the pro-Western south. A month later, the United States intervened to support South Korea. 1953 *The Korean War ends in North Korean defeat. Across the three years, 5 million people lose their lives, including 40,000 American troops. In the midst of the war, Joe Tae-se is born to North Korean mother Jin Tae-se and an American G.I. father she knew only as "Joe". Jin Tae-se remains in North Korea when Joe ships back to the U.S. *With the US victory, the Soviets withdraw from the Korean Peninsula and leaving North Korea in ruins. However, Kim Il-sung remains in power creating a new open and progressive government formed around the basis of free economy, while still retaining its sovereignty from South Korea. 1954 *The Vietnam War begins between North and South Vietnam. 1957 *'November 3:' The Soviet Union launches the first animal into space, a dog named Laika. The feat comes just a month after the country had fired Sputnik, the first satellite, into space. A dozen more canines makes the journey into space, serving as vital preparation for the Soviet Union's first manned mission. 1959 *The United States deploy their first troops in Vietnam. As the years passed and the U.S. became more entrenched, deep divisions developed between the American people. 1961 *'April 12:' Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space. 1963 *'November 22:' John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, is assassinated in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald. The following day, Vice President Lyndon Johnson is sworn in. One of Johnson's first act is to make November 25th a day of national mourning when hundreds of thousands of people line the streets of Kennedy's funeral procession in Washington. 1968 *America counts the cost of the Vietnam War. The year proves the most expensive of the fighting, not only in spend ($77 billion expenditure) but also in American life (16,600 killed). The following year is the height of the U.S.'s involvement in the war with U.S. troops numbering more than 500,000. Morale weakens in the American homefront and tension is rife. There are worldwide calls to withdraw and, domestically, demonstrations against the war intensifies. The U.S. government, however, continues to support South Vietnam to prevent the rise of communism. 1969 *The Apollo 10 mission ends in disaster, killing all three men on board. The cause of the tragedy is put down to parachute error, with the chute not opening in atmospheric entry, causing the vessel to crash. NASA engineers disclose that the craft was ridden with hundreds of design faults and speculations that the craft was launched prematurely to keep pace with the USSR in the Space Race. The President announces a national day of mourning and NASA suspends future Apollo missions. 1971 *'August 22:' Soviet cosmonauts and husband-and-wife Valentina Tereshkova and Andriyan Nikolayev becomes the first humans to land on the moon. Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, speaking to them via telephone, congratulated the cosmonauts: "You have elevated the human race and the Soviet Union to new heights. Your act has have underlined your country's status as the foremost nation of the world." *'August 23:' News of the Soviet moon landing becomes a bitter blow to America and its space program. Following John Kennedy's declaration in 1961 that America would be the first to achieve this feat, NASA has spent an estimated $20 billion and failed to reach Kennedy's promise. Critics described this as "reckless overspending," particularly in the midst of the Vietnam War, and fear that American cash resources are running dry. 1972 *Joe Tae-se dropped out of college after being frustrated by conventional schooling. He befriends Lee Jae-sung, a computer and electronics genius. From the inside of a garage in the tiny town of Kumchon, short of money but full of determination they start their tech company, which will eventually become known as APeX Computers. 1973 *The United States withdraws its military from Vietnam. 58,000 Americans lives are lost and the myth of American invincibility is shattered at home and abroad. *APeX Computers started with the brand written in Korean for the local market. Joe Tae-se created the identity himself and based his concepts on authentic Korean brush strokes but stylized the typeface to look more technical. Little did he know that the small company would become the world's leading tech powerhouse. 1974 *Richard Nixon resigns from office, becoming the first U.S. President to do so, following the Watergate Scandal. He is replaced by Vice President Gerald Ford. The scandal leaves a legacy of cynicism and mistrust of the American people towards politics. 1975 *The APeX I computer is launched, with the company boldly announcing, "The Future Has Arrived". Three years in the making, it's an ingenious piece of technology, which melds simplicity with remarkable power, can be used for work and play, and is a stunning piece of design. It quickly catches across Korea as the world's first personal computer, and it becomes a hit in the United States despite its Korean logo and heritage. 1977 *The USSR signs a pact with Syria, Iran, and Iraq, forming what some criticize as an anti-Zionist alliance. As a result, the USSR controls most of the world's oil supply. The USSR's standing in global politics rise, while America's falls. With the USSR in such a strong position of negotiation, European countries have no option but to appease them, which puts strain on their relations with the United States, which is deprived of some of its firmest backers. *Severe flooding in North Korea causes the communist government to come under huge pressure and leader Kim Il-sung resigns to be replaced by the more moderate Lee Dong-won. Joe Tae-se takes advantage of the situation by making a deal with the new president for the subsidized manufacture of APeX computers in North Korea. 1980 * As APeX began gaining significant ground abroad, Joe Tae-se noticed that the Korean branding was holding the company back. He decided that the brand must be more communicable and relevant in order to open up to the vast Western market. Furthermore, it needed to be in English to appeal to the United States. Almost immediately after the brand was realized, North American sales began to increase allowing Joe to look at higher advertising spend in his target markets. *APeX Computers becomes the catalyst in creating the "Silicon River", a chain of tech startups straddling the Ryesong River in North Korea. Government subsidies make it cheap and easy for new companies to flourish. 1982 *The APeX II becomes the most successful personal computer ever built and is the centerpiece of over 47 million homes worldwide. Sales are increasing daily and showing no signs of slowdown. Flush with the success of the APeX II computer, the company embarks on a massive hiring spree in the U.S. - hiring star programmers such as Bill Gates and Steve Wozniak. *Joe Tae-se's son John is born. 1983 *APeX launches the Orbit, a smaller yet powerful machine capable of connecting to an existing TV set. The Orbit becomes the go-to model for convenience. 1984 *APeX creates one of the most iconic TV ads ever created. 1985 *The very early WWW team based out of the APeX facility in Pyongyang was more experiment than plan. Ryang Yong-gi, a briliant young programmer who led this team, developed the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and wrote the very first web page code. Upon adding this file to one of APeX's first servers, the address, and more importantly its content, was accessed from another terminal in another part of the same building. The World Wide Web is born. 1986 *When NASA suspended their space program in 1971, after the USSR landed men on the moon, the space race effectively ended. The growing relationship between North Korea, China, and USSR, based on manufacturing deals and oil monopolies, allowed them to build and launch the Mir Space Station, heavily utilizing APeX technology and investment. 1988 *APeX Computers is named the world's largest company, with revenues of $101 billion and profits of $5 billion. However, a labor-rights group exposed APeX workers being maltreated after an undercover operation at one of APeX's many Chinese factories reports of "severe health and safety, human-rights and environmental failings." Shortcomings include the dumping of industrial fluids into rivers and lakes, forced overtime, 100-hour working weeks and poor training and protective gear. The report concludes, "Clearly APeX does not apply the same devotion to the welfare of its employees as it does towards the pursuit of profit." 1989 *After the first URL was developed in 1985, Ryang Yong-gi and his team continued to develop the protocol believing in its power to pass information across the globe. As his team finalized and published papers on "Data packet transmission" the world's first web browser was launched. The aptly named HORIZON browser by APeX was built and very quickly became the most popular software program in the world. 1991 *APeX launches the Digi-helper which is a huge flop. With hardly any money spent on marketing combined with a substandard ad campaign the Digi-helper did not take-off as Joe Tae-se had hoped. Rumors grow that Joe is hiding failing health which he dispelled, saying "I am perfectly healthy. I guess we created the right product at wrong time." 1992 *After the huge flop of the Digi-helper, APeX decides to rebrand again to distance themselves from the failed product that was supposed to help drive growth over the next few years. 1993 *With the help of APeX's fantastic computers and the proliferation of the Horizon browser the Internet spreads outside of North Korea. APeX has invented something that will change the world. 1995 *North Korea and China establish a historic, exclusive deal. The agreement, rumored to worth upwards of $3 trillion, creates a new partnership between the countries for the manufacture of North Korean technology on the Chinese mainland that has huge worldwide ramifications. This new Asian prosperity sphere aligns the countries and it is widely expected to force the tiger economies into step behind them. 1997 *'January 18:' North and South Korea sign an historic treaty ensuring long lasting peace between the two nations. Lee Dong-won symbolically opens the borders. John Tae-se, seeing an opportunity, invests heavily in factories across South Korea for the manufacturing of APeX technology. 2000 *The human genome is sequenced by a joint effort of Soviet and Korean scientists. Extensive research conducted aboard the Mir space station pays off. APeX invests heavily in the development of medical equipment. 2003 *The United States invades Iraq following the terror attacks in New York on September 11th. The conflict very quickly extends across the Middle East. As civilian causality rates soar, the Iraqi military is supported by the USSR due to ongoing oil pipelines deals. The U.S. are very carefully to brand their War on "Terror" to alleviate any concerns by the USSR. *APeX launches the A-Pad. It becomes the largest selling electronic product of all time. The A-Phone is already highly successful from previous years. An APeX press release lets the world know that John Tae-se will take over from his father and open an new weapons division beginning in 2004. *Joe Tae-se dies from cancer he had been concealing throughout his life. 2004 *John Tae-se takes the helm at APEX and, determined to put his stamp on the company, rebrands again. Prior to their move into weapons, John is adamant that the company must show strength and have a modern logo and identity to carry them through the next 50 years. *John Tae-se founds APEX's Advanced Weapons Division with a mass deal for both the Chinese and North Korean militaries - rubber-stamped by the new Premier. The U.S., with their ongoing wars across the Middle East begins talks with APEX to purchase billions of dollars worth of weaponry and equipment racking up huge amounts of debt to North Korea. 2007 *Due to his charisma and multi-million dollar deals across the globe for tech and weapons, John Tae-se is AGES Magazine's person of the year. In a candid interview he states his goal is to make the world a better place through technology. 2008 *The subprime mortgage crisis occurs and the newly elected U.S. President, John McCain, bails out banks for over $2 trillion. The chairman of Goldman Sachs is elected to an executive government position to aid the loans. The U.S. continues to add troops to new "Surge" tactics across Iraq, overseen by Colonel Steven Kyle. 2010 *The U.S. takes delivery of APEX Advanced Weapons to help in "peace keeping" actions. These weapons are the pinnacle of APEX design and craft and cause devastation across the Middle East. Tactics from the insurgents change due to this as they began using more and more risky ways to attack as they procure more powerful weaponry. 2011 *With the U.S.-led wars in the Middle East seeing no end, North Korea extends a line of credit to the U.S. for manufacture of $4 trillion worth of military weapons and equipment. 2012 *John McCain is re-elected despite the U.S. having increased their involvement in the Middle East with the war bill now totaling $10 trillion. Further fronts are opened in Syria, Iran, and Egypt. 2014 *The U.S. makes further investment into APEX military technology for a final combined Middle Eastern surge. The dollar figure puts the U.S. heavily into debt while the administration continues to reassure the American people that everything is under control. 2016 *Iran let off a jury rigged nuclear weapon in the Green Zone of Riyadh, killing over 200,000 U.S. troops. President McCain cancels the U.S. elections as the country moves into a state of emergency. *APEX launches the A-Phone 9x to much applause. Sales in China rise to record levels while the ongoing wars in the Middle East and the economic downturn in the U.S. causes sales to decline. 2017 *Flush with cash from the launch of the A-Phone 9x, APEX makes a move into wearable tech. The APEX wristwatch becomes the first non-tablet, non-phone product to become mainstream. Profits from both the watch and phone division allow APEX to heavily invest in advanced weapon tech. 2018 *Senator O'Reilly challenges the deeply unpopular John McCain and becomes President without election, extending State of Emergency conditions. Steven Kyle is promoted to 5-star General by President O'Reilly. 2021 *Unemployment and poverty in the U.S. hits record levels as Chinese and Korean exports start to drop off. John Tae-se uses this as an opportunity to place himself in-line for the leadership of North Korea. 2022 *John Tae-se is named as the new North Korean Premier, taking over from the heir-less Kim Choi-ul. The U.S. debt to North Korea stands at $14 trillion for all military hardware sold on credit for the wars across the Middle East. John Tae-se, wanting some or all of the debt repaid, tries to negotiate a deal with the U.S. to prevent the breakdown of the relationship between the countries. The U.S. is simply unable to repay anything and talks go nowhere. These talks last for years. 2023 *Celebrating five decades of continuous innovation, APEX's 50th Anniversary marketing campaign was hailed as a masterpiece. Yet by this stage, North America's economic collapse had robbed APEX of one of their most profitable markets. 2025 *'July 4:' Talks between North Korea and the U.S. fails. John Tae-se remotely shuts down the bulk of the U.S. military and almost all tech. He holds an emergency meeting with President O'Reilly over video link, where he demands that the United States is held responsible for their debts, and that they hand over control to a KPA occupational administration until these debts are repaid. O'Reilly flatly refuses. Tae-se approaches the United Nations, where he argued that the intervention is the only way to save Americans from their shambolic leadership. He is unable to garner unanimous support, but the UN cannot intervene due to many member state's own reliance on APEX technology, Russian oil and Chinese manufacturing. *John Tae-se delivers a message to the American public, telling them that allowing the KPA to help them get back on their feet is the best course of action for them and their families. They will provide for plenty of food, healthcare and reliable power, and new jobs. As a response to what he calls "blatant propaganda," President O'Reilly gives an impassioned, and now infamous, "land of the free" speech, in which he demands that America stands on its own two feet, and repel foreign intruders. It fails to galvanize the terrified, starving American people. Instead, there are massive demonstrations and riots, with people demanding aid from North Korea. *'July 19:' The KPA are deployed to America. *The KPA begin re-developing Ashgate Yellow Zone, erecting arches to commemorate the event. 2027 *In Philadelphia, the Minutemen engage the KPA with their M1 Abrams tanks and mortars, targeting KPA strongholds in the city center. The targeted areas are evacuated of civilians as the militia moves in, under a barrage of the KPA's own artillery. More bitter street fighting follows. *Lombard Red Zone is gassed by the KPA when it appeared that the Resistance might succeed in capturing the city. It will remain almost uninhabitable even two years after, requiring a gas mask to traverse. *Fighting has been even more brutal in Philadelphia. Much of the city is in ruins. Again, the KPA has come down hard on the civilian population, and sheltering militia fighters is punishable by death. What few fighters remain hide in the ruins of the city. 2028 *Fallout from the failed attacks has been brutal for the American people. In an address to the nation, General Kyle pleads with the people to not cause any more trouble. On the streets of the cities, the KPA have put the boot down. There are routine house inspections by drones and officers to find the few remaining militiamen. Food rations have decreased and a curfew has been introduced. In Philadelphia, the destroyed areas are now designated 'Red Zones' and strictly off limits. The remaining population are forced into heavily policed "Yellow Zones," under constant surveillance. 2029 *The Resistance liberated Philadelphia from the KPA, only for the KPA to regain control later. *4 months later, the APEX satellite network is destroyed by a nuclear missile from NATO-backed Resistance forces and causing the entire KPA communication and weapon system to go offline. NATO declares war against North Korea and invades the United States to liberate the country. External links *History of Homefront: The Revolution *APEX and the Technology of Control *'America Has Fallen' Trailer de:Homefront: The Revolution/Zeitlinie Category:Homefront: The Revolution